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#BS-2015-SUBOUT-192E2015 Subaru Outback
Based on reports from 632 owners and 5 recalls for this exact model.
Preliminary Verdict
Red Flag
Based on 632 complaints, 36 crashes, 7 fires, and 5 recalls.
Top reported problems
battery died
18 complaints • Severity 6.8/10
cracks easily
16 complaints • Severity 6.2/10
engine wont turn over wont start
12 complaints • Severity 8/10
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Mechanic Inspection Checklist
130 owners reported visibility issues — failures commonly reported around 20K miles.
Failure Timeline by Mileage
Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (245 reports) • Median: 20K miles
30,000-Mile Cost Projection
Best Case
Most Likely
Worst Case
Top cost driver: Visibility (130 reports).
Also in your report
Owner Intelligence
AI-synthesized themes from real complaints
Buyer Lot Checklist
Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers
Negotiation Talking Points
Data-backed dollar deductions
Buy / Skip Verdict
Final recommendation with conditions
Where the complaints fall
2015 Subaru Outback: Known Issues & Problem Areas
Visibility Issues
Visibility complaints account for 21% of all reports filed for the 2015 Subaru Outback, with 130 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 20,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 20K-mile mark.
Electrical Issues
Electrical complaints account for 19% of all reports filed for the 2015 Subaru Outback, with 117 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Engine Issues
Engine complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 2015 Subaru Outback, with 46 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Drivetrain Issues
Drivetrain complaints account for 6% of all reports filed for the 2015 Subaru Outback, with 37 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to drivetrain-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.
Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.
Complaint trend by year
Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2015 Subaru Outback. Recent trend: decreasing.
Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own
Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict
Recall History (5 recalls)
TRAILER HITCHES
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Outback vehicles manufactured January 22, 2014, to August 18, 2014, and equipped with a Subaru accessory trailer hitch assembly. During installation, the trailer hitch mounting nuts may have been overtightened, potentially resulting in failure of the trailer hitch mounting studs.
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: CRASH IMMINENT BRAKING
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy vehicles manufactured March 10, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Outback vehicles manufactured February 24, 2014, to April 16, 2015, Impreza vehicles manufactured September 9, 2014, to April 14, 2015, XV Crosstrek vehicles manufactured October 16, 2014, to April 15, 2015, and 2016 WRX vehicles manufactured March 23, 2015, and equipped with the Eyesight Driver Assist System. If the switch that activates the brake lights fails, the automatic pre-collision braking component of the driver assist system will not function.
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain 2015 and 2016 model year Subaru Legacy 4-Door and Outback vehicles manufactured July 3, 2015, to July 27, 2015. Transmission oil may leak from a deformed seal cap on the propeller shaft yoke.
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2015 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured on July 20, 2015. The brake fluid used in these vehicles may contain excess moisture which may adversely affect the performance of the electronic stability control system. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 126, "Electronic Stability Control Systems."
STEERING:COLUMN
Subaru of America, Inc. (Subaru) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Legacy and Outback vehicles manufactured February 29, 2016, to May 6, 2016. The steering column on the affected vehicles may have been improperly machined, and as a result, turning the steering wheel may have no effect on the direction of the wheels.
Recall severity analysis & seller scripts
The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
The worst model year for the Subaru Outback is the 2013 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is electrical.
About this data
NHTSA Complaints
Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 632 records for this vehicle.
NHTSA Recalls
Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 5 recalls found for this vehicle.
Repair Cost Data
Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.
Other Subaru Outback Model Years
2015 Subaru Outback: Frequently Asked Questions
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Get the Full 2015 Subaru Outback Report
10 sections of AI analysis based on 632 owner reports. Know before you buy.